Fundoplication is a surgical procedure which is typically used to treat Gastroesophageal Reflux (GER) condition, a malady often resulting from a deformity of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), and/or a dysfunctional lower esophageal sphincter (LES). One symptom commonly associated with GER is regurgitation or reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus. Fundoplication procedures are directed towards manipulating esophageal and gastric tissue so as to form a valve at the GEJ which limits reflux into the esophagus. The valve is formed by manipulation of the esophagus so as to invaginate the stomach, then wrapping the fundus of the stomach around the distal end of the esophagus and securing the stomach in that wrapped position.
The most commonly used fundoplication procedures require abdominal or thoracic incisions through which the abdominal wrapping and securing can be performed. Due to the highly invasive nature of such surgery, 2 complications and morbidity occur in a significant percentage of cases. In addition, these procedures are lengthy, often taking a number of hours to perform, and may leave disfiguring scars where the incisions were made.
Other recently developed fundoplication procedures somewhat limit the necessity of making large surgical incisions by utilizing laparoscopic ports or percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. (See, e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,403,326, and 5,088,979, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference). Although these procedures are less invasive than those involving large abdominal and thoracic incisions, they are invasive nonetheless, and have costs and risks associated with such invasive surgery. For example, general anaesthesia is typically used during these procedures which adds to the expense of these procedures and entails well known risks.
In addition to the complications, risks, and costs associated with the invasive nature of current fundoplication methods, these methods have other problems as well. One such problem is unwrapping of the fundus, also referred to as slippage of the fundal wrap. Slippage frequently occurs with current methods, as they fail to adequately secure the plicated fundus.